Tag Archives: role models

In today’s blog, I’m going to discuss what I believe is the fundamental role for any company officer: Being an effective role model. Every single day. Why do I believe that? My experience has shown me that a company officer’s success in any of their other roles, e.g., supervisor, teacher, mentor, fire ground commander, is predicated on the level of respect and confidence that they’ve developed with their firefighters.

Behavioral research shows that by the time they begin their school years, young girls and boys already have some pretty “defined” ideas of what men and women can or cannot do, especially regarding jobs.

Many of us first became familiar with Dr. Clark and his “big thinking” approach to fire service issues when he was among the first fire service leaders on this firefighter safety issue: Firefighter “Mayday”. Dr. Clark was the first to bring awareness to the issue by asking the tough questions...

I've been fortunate to have had many positive role models and mentors and colleagues during my Fire and EMS career. I'll bet you do as well. So who are they?

None of us becomes the Fire & EMS leader that we want to be in our career without the guidance and direction and inspiration of those who have gone before us and who we've had the opportunity to meet and learn from. Role models: can't make it without them and they make you want to be a better man or woman in our business.